skokholm island trips

Pembrokeshire's official website for tourism information

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This island is an SSSI.....

.. that's a site of special scientific interest

Home to an exciting diversity of flora, fauna & spectacular scenery

Skokholm Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Skokholm has been owned by the wildlife trust of south and west wales since 2006 and lies just south of skomer..

The island is roughly a mile in length and half a mile across at its widest point. Set in a Marine Nature Reserve this island is part of a wildlife spectacle.

Surrounded by reefs and rich seas, the island supports an incredible diversity of wildlife, including thousands of puffins and Manx shearwaters, a large population of storm petrels, plus there are often some fascinating migrants passing through, as well as being covered in a stunning array of wildflowers and lichens.

In the seas around the island you can see Risso’s dolphins, harbour porpoise and Atlantic grey seals whilst a little further out larger cetaceans can be spotted. It’s an incredible place to visit.

Overnight accommodation for limited numbers is available for a short time each year. The accommodation has undergone a facelift thanks to a willing bunch of volunteers and the ‘Friends of the Islands’.There are four twin rooms and one double bedded room in the renovated cowsheds, one twin room and four single rooms in the cottage, plus a further two twin rooms in the warden’s old quarters.

Skokholm Island is a wild and beautiful place to stay, quieter and smaller than its sister, Skomer .

How to get there

Landing is not permitted on the island apart from organised day trips, check out  The Wildlife Trust  website for details, or for those with an accommodation booking, for which specially arranged boats are used.

A great way to see Skokholm is on a wildlife safari or an evening boat cruise which is especially good for viewing rafts of birds heading back to their chicks.

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Skomer Island Landing Trips

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Explore Skokholm Island

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Home / Things to Do / Pembrokeshire’s Islands / Skomer Island

Skomer is the largest of the Pembrokeshire islands, a National Nature Reserve of international importance for its seabirds.

Puffins proudly walk alongside the footpaths, guillemots and razorbills fill the air with their chatter, while seals moan lazily from the shoreline.

In spring and early summer the island is carpeted blue, pink and white by one of the best wildflower displays in Britain. It’s also a good place to see seals, and in spring and early summer has some of the best wildflower displays in western Britain. Skomer is open for day visits and overnight stays in its sustainably run hostel.

Skomer has the largest and most accessible colonies of seabirds in southern Britain. The cliffs are wall-to-wall seabirds – fulmars, razorbills, guillemots and kittiwakes. Puffins nest in burrows in the cliff-top turf, herring gulls and great black-backed gulls on rocky outcrops, lesser black-backed gulls on the plateau. The noise, smell and breeding activity continues night and day.

The island has more than 300,000 pairs of Manx shearwaters, possibly the largest colony of this species in the world. Feeding out at sea by day, they return to their burrows at night, heralded by their unmistakable eerie cries which once gave Skomer a reputation as the “island of lost souls”. Staying overnight on Skomer is an unforgettable experience.

Evidence of human presence goes back to the Bronze Age, in the form of a solitary standing stone known as the Haroldstone and a group of nine small burial cairns. But the most important archaeological remains date from the Iron Age (650 BC – 100 AD) when more than 200 people were thought to have lived here. There are traces of four settlements, a small promontory fort, and some of the best-preserved Iron Age field systems in Britain. In spring, before the vegetation grows up, these ancient field boundaries are clearly visible as lines of stones or stone and earth banks.

The island’s vegetation is pruned by wind and salt, manured and trampled by seabirds, and grazed by thousands of rabbits. Bluebells and red campion flourish in sheltered areas, with thrift and sea campion on the clifftops. There are no trees, although willow, bramble and blackthorn scrub survive in the valleys, and woodland indicator species such as bluebells suggest there were once extensive wooded areas.

The seabirds are a food supply for ravens, buzzards and peregrine falcons, which also breed and feed on the island. Several pairs of chough and a variable number of short-eared owls also breed here.

There are no predatory mammals such as foxes or rats, hence the abundance of ground-nesting birds. The Skomer vole is unique to the island. Toads are present in their thousands, along with some frogs, palmate newts, lizards and slow-worms.

Grey seals are seen on rocks at low tide throughout the year, especially near the Garland Stone. From late August to October the female seals (cows) come ashore to have their pups.

The waters around Skomer, Skokholm and Middleholm are part of the Skomer Marine Conservation Zone, the first in Wales. Here you’re likely to see common porpoises, feeding on fish in the swirling waters. In late summer you may see common dolphins, as well as bottle-nosed and Risso’s dolphins, and also the strange sunfish.

Where is Skomer?

Skomer fact file.

• Owned by: Natural Resources Wales, managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
• Getting there: April to October, landing trips from Martin's Haven, also round trips, all operated by Dale Sailing (no advance booking).
• Staying there: April to October, contact Wildlife Trust Island Booking Officer: 01656 724100.
• Facilities: Compost toilets, visitors centre, sheltered picnic area, cosy self-catering accommodation, guided walks and events.
• Parking: National Trust car park at Martin's Haven (SA62 3BJ).
• Park Area: West
• Grid ref: SM715090.

More on Pembrokeshire's Islands

St Margaret's

Adjoining Caldey is St Margaret's Island. A medieval chapel of that name once stood on the island but was converted in Victorian times into housing fo...

This beautiful nature reserve island is known for its seabirds and stunning wild flowers. Skokholm means “wooded island” in Norse, but nowadays th...

Facing the St Davids peninsula across the rushing waters of Ramsey Sound, probably Pembrokeshire’s best site for watching grey seals and porpoises.

Middleholm is a small green-topped rocky islet between Skomer and the mainland. It can be seen from the Deer Park at the end of the Marloes peninsula...

The island of Grassholm, six miles off the Pembrokeshire coast, is the most spectacular gannetry in southern Britain, and the third largest in the nor...

Famous for its Cistercian abbey, this charming island is an easy 20-minute boat trip from Tenby.

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The Friends of Skokholm and Skomer  

are a group of people who are enthusiastic and passionate about the Islands. We have some hundreds of members from all over Britain and a few from abroad . Mostly we are people who have visited the Islands and want to keep in touch with what is happening.

We support the Islands mainly through donations and  volunteering. We organise work-parties, usually in the spring and autumn to maintain and repair the buildings, hides or anything else that needs doing.

The Friends is run by a committee of people who keep the membership in touch, organise the work parties as well as the annual reunion. The reunion takes place in February.  This used to be near Cheltenham, but in 2024 we moved to Chepstow. About a hundred people meet up for an update on Island matters by the wardens as well as presentations about other islands. The opportunity to meet up with old friends over a good lunch makes for an enjoyable day.    

We produce a small newsletter twice a year. We also keep in touch through email and hopefully through this blog in future. This blog is complementary to the Skomer and Skokholm official blogs and is aimed at the membership of the Friends. We welcome contributions of your experiences, pictures and stories of your visits to the Island.

The Friends of Skokholm and Skomer was founded in 1981 by John Lewis and Steve Sutcliffe, initially to give visitors more insight into how the Islands worked, and to keep people in touch. Work-parties to support the Islands were started. Over the years we have continued this tradition and in recent years promoted and managed the renovation work of the buildings on Skokholm and are now developing an Archives project.  

Click here to join us!

For more information on the islands of Skokholm and Skomer click here to visit the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales website

Skomer Island

Puffin in a burrow - © Joshua Copping

Visiting Skomer Island

The Official Guide To Your Island Adventure

The Ultimate Wildlife Adventure

With nearly 350,000 breeding pairs of Manx Shearwaters, over 42,500 Puffins (mid-April to late July), thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes and hundreds of Fulmars, Skomer is an internationally important seabird island.

Discover the wildlife and history of Skomer

Visit Skomer

Skomer is helpfully located less than a mile off the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast making it a great place to visit for the day or stay overnight.

Please call the booking office on 01656 724100 (select option 1 only), Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm and 1pm-4.30pm. If you are hard of hearing, bookings can be taken by email ( [email protected] ).

Book an overnight stay

2024 day visits  can be booked online. Please follow the link below. Online bookings can be taken at any time.

  Book a day trip

© Beth Thompson

Atlantic grey seal pup in Pigstone Bay © Beth Thompson

Short-eared owl on Skomer © Beth Thompson

Common dolphins off Garland Stone © Tom Malpas

Common lizard basking in the sun © Beth Thompson

Other Ways To Visit

Want to explore Skomer on one of our events? From bird migration tours to arts events and yoga, we have something for everyone.

2024 Events

Keen to land your own boat? You are able to land on Skomer between 10am - 5pm, Tuesday - Sunday in August. Please note that in September we are closed to all day visitors and private landers on Fridays .

Instructions for private landings

Want to join a private trip? Commercial Operators are external businesses which have signed up to run trips on Skomer Island. These range from wildlife watching day trips to overnight photography workshops.

Find out how to book on to a Commercial Operator trip

Planning a school or university trip? We have amazing discounts available to help your students to discover this amazing habitat and the creatures that live here.

Book a school group visit   

How Can I Watch Skomer Live?

You can watch videos of Skomer, including 'Skomer Live' and an exclusive interview with Sir David Attenborough here:

Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales YouTube

Accessibility & Inclusivity on Skomer 

Progress Pride Flag - © Wikipedia

We are working to make our islands as inclusive as we can so that everyone can enjoy the wildlife that lives there. Find out how below.

Accessibility & Inclusivity on Skomer Island

How To Volunteer On Skomer

Skomer Weekly Volunteers - © WTSWW

Short-Term Volunteering

A long-term volunteer counting seabirds on the Amos - © WTSWW

Long-Term Volunteering

Adopt A Seal

Adopt A Puffin

Become a member

We're already making a big difference for wildlife across South and West Wales - but we need your help to do more.

Skomer Island

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

SKOMER ISLAND: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• (0.48 mi) Skomer Island Accommodation
• (8.81 mi) Fields Lodge Bed & Breakfast
• (9.91 mi) Caerfai Bay Caravan and Tent Park
• (6.52 mi) Monk Haven Manor
• (8.88 mi) Anchor Guest House
• (3.29 mi) Runwayskiln
• (8.85 mi) Sand & Stone Kitchen
• (8.64 mi) Wavecrest Cafe
• (8.50 mi) The Castle
• (8.46 mi) Saint Brides Inn

Land On Skomer

A 15 minute boat ride takes you to enjoy one of the most incredible wildlife experiences in Britain.

The 5 hour Skomer Island day trip is a great way to explore an unspoilt and stunning island at your own pace. The trip includes all travel there and back on a short boat ride of 15 minutes each way, plus 4.5 hours on the island itself to take in the views.

Located less than a mile off the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast, Skomer Island is a truly magical place to visit. Surrounded by high dramatic sea cliffs, Skomer is a National Nature Reserve and one of the finest wildlife sites in the country.

Well known for its Puffins, yet there is so much more to the bird paradise including Manx Shearwaters, Dolphins, Harbour Porpoises, Atlantic Grey Seal, Razorbills, Gannets, Fulmars and the unique Skomer Vole. The island is surrounded by some of the richest waters for wildlife off the British Isles from delightfully coloured sea slugs to magnificent cetaceans.

Wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, walkers, families and visitors who are looking to find a sense of solitude will instantly fall in love with Skomer!

Skomer Island has something to offer everyone – full of mystery, discovery, wildlife and adventure…it’s a unique island just waiting to be explored!

*ONLINE PRE-BOOKING*

You can now book your Skomer Landing Trip in advance – online booking is now available!

For 2024 we will continue to operate our pre-booking system for Skomer Landing Trips. Simply book your ticket online then ‘check-in’ at Lockley Lodge, Martin’s Haven 1 HOUR before your departure time.

Please note: A 6% booking fee applies to all bookings.

Have you got questions? Check out our FAQ HERE

We look forward to welcoming you!

Prices – 2024

Please call us on, 01646 603123, for any booking queries, sailings & timetables – 2024.

Skomer Landings will operate from the 29th March to 30th September.

Monday  – No sailings (except Whitsun Week Holiday). Please see our other trips for Monday options.

Tuesday to Sunday – Depart 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 11.30am, 12pm – returning from 3pm.

Your return boat will be allocated upon check-in according to your departure time. Please see the table below.

Whitsun Week Monday:  Tue—Sun timetable applies

Access to the Island

Skomer is a wild island with no cafe facilities at present; however water can be bought on the island.

We advise all visitors to wear suitable clothing and footwear and to come prepared for unpredictable weather conditions. The island is very exposed and there is very little shelter or shade.

As there are limited facilities on the island you will need to bring your own picnic and drink, there are facilities available in the village of Marloes, and snacks can be purchased at Lockley Lodge Visitor Centre.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the island due to the vulnerable nature of this precious sea bird colony (but they are allowed on our island cruises).

The island has 87 steep steps to climb from where the boat lands, and access to the jetty at Martin’s Haven is over a fairly steep set of steps & uneven footpath. Therefore we recommend a certain level of fitness is required to access the island. Please see 

If you would like more information on the accessibility of the island, take a look at our  FAQs page or give us a call.

Terms & Conditions

Full T&C’s will be received upon booking.

PLEASE NOTE  – Tickets booked for Skomer Island Landings are  NON-REFUNDABLE.

Tickets are refundable only if we have to cancel the trip. Every effort is made to contact you prior to the trip departing if we feel that the conditions are not appropriate for the trip to go ahead. Cancellations are at our discretion and will be subject to tides, forecasts and sea conditions. We will endeavour to offer an alternative trip or the possibility of rescheduling.

To read our full Terms & Conditions please click  HERE.